Daejon Love wasn’t a San Francisco 49ers player, even though federal prosecutors say he spent years convincing people otherwise.
Love, 35, is accused of posing as a 49ers player as part of an alleged romance and investment fraud scheme that took roughly $1.3 million from 26 identified women. Prosecutors say Love built out the story on social media, where he appeared in 49ers gear and presented himself as both an NFL player and a successful investor.
That’s also why the case has created an unusual amount of confusion online. Love didn’t simply tell people he played football. He apparently built enough of an NFL identity around himself that people are now searching for his stats, jersey number and Instagram account.
Here’s what is actually known.
Was Daejon Love Really a 49ers Player?
No. There is no record of Love playing for the 49ers or in the NFL.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Love falsely portrayed himself as a 49ers player while trying to establish that he was wealthy and successful. At other times, prosecutors say, he claimed to be a wealthy real estate investor.
The football story appears to have been fairly elaborate.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Love portrayed himself online as an undrafted wide receiver and posted material meant to make his supposed NFL career look legitimate.
That distinction is worth making because photos of Love in team gear have circulated widely since the charges became public. Wearing 49ers apparel was part of the persona prosecutors describe. It wasn’t evidence that he had been on San Francisco’s roster.
Does Daejon Love Have NFL Stats?
He does not have NFL statistics because he never played in the league.
There are no legitimate catches, receiving yards or touchdowns to look up for Love with the 49ers.
That might sound obvious now that the allegations are public, but it’s one of the more understandable questions surrounding the story. Sporting News reported that Love’s Instagram presented him as an NFL wide receiver and included photos of him working out in 49ers apparel.
In other words, the football content was real enough to be seen online. The NFL résumé behind it wasn’t.
What Is Daejon Love’s Instagram?
Sporting News identified Love’s Instagram account as @2bcontinued_4. The page has since been removed.
The account included photos and videos of Love wearing 49ers gear and portraying himself as a professional football player. Sporting News also reported that screenshots posted through the account showed engagement from actual NFL players.
That doesn’t mean those players vouched for Love or knew anything about the alleged scheme. But it helps explain how the social-media profile could have looked convincing at a glance.
Prosecutors say that presentation was important to the broader alleged fraud. Love used social media and in-person displays of a lavish lifestyle to make victims believe he was wealthy, according to the DOJ.
What Number Did Daejon Love Wear?
Love has been pictured with No. 7 as part of his 49ers persona, which appears to be driving searches for his jersey.
But there was no official Daejon Love 49ers jersey number because Love was never on the team’s roster.
That’s an important distinction with this story. A lot of the details surrounding Love look like the pieces of a normal NFL player profile — a position, team apparel, jersey number and workout footage — without an actual NFL career behind them.
How Old Is Daejon Love?
Love is 35 years old, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. His full name is Daejon Labrayae Love.
The federal release does not give his full date of birth, so there isn’t enough primary-source information to responsibly list a specific birthday.
Prosecutors also said Love has used several other names, including Jon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love.
The Jordan Love alias is another detail that can create obvious confusion for football fans. There is no connection established in the federal complaint between Daejon Love and the NFL quarterback of the same name.
Who Is Taylor Jamie Chan?
Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, is the second man charged in the federal case.
Prosecutors allege Chan posed as Love’s financial adviser and helped make the supposed investments look legitimate. Love and Chan allegedly exchanged investment-related messages, and Chan participated in calls with victims while acting in that role.
According to investigators, Love would convince women he met largely through dating apps that they were in genuine romantic relationships. He then allegedly pitched nonexistent investments, while Chan helped reinforce the story that Love had already built substantial wealth.
Financial records show the two received about $1.3 million from 26 identified victims, according to federal prosecutors. The FBI believes there could be additional victims.
What Charges Does Daejon Love Face?
Love and Chan have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
The FBI arrested both men at Boise Airport on August 24. Investigators said Love had traveled through several Western states in the weeks before his arrest and was in Idaho to meet new alleged victims.
The alleged scheme dated back to February 2022, according to prosecutors.
Love and Chan are accused of using fictitious investments, fake financial information and Love’s various personas to convince women to send them money. In some instances, prosecutors say victims were encouraged to take out personal loans.
None of the identified victims received returns on those purported investments, according to the federal complaint.
The charges are allegations. Love and Chan are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
For 49ers fans who came across Love’s name and wondered how they’d somehow missed a player on the roster, the answer is considerably simpler than the story surrounding him: Daejon Love never played for San Francisco. Prosecutors allege that convincing people he did was part of the scheme.